Many high-rise or multi-story buildings utilize gravity-assisted or vacuum-assisted chute systems for the rapid disposal of trash, laundry, or other materials. Typically the user inserts a bag of materials, or the materials themselves, into the system on an upper floor, which then travels downwards until reaching an ejection point, usually located in a basement or lower level of the building. Generally, a system with the capacity to handle both trash and laundry will separate the two materials into separate systems to avoid contamination.
One conventional material handling system automates the transport of soiled hospital linens to reduce infection. Access to the system is granted via an access door mounted on a box, which is in turn mounted on and connected to a chute pulling a constant vacuum. Once a user loads materials and closes the outer door, a gate at the back of the box opens and the soiled laundry is immediately exposed to the suction force created by the vacuum system and swiftly disposed of. However, this conventional system has a variety of drawbacks.
First, because the user of the system can potentially be directly exposed to the suction force of the vacuum, any loose or unsecured items on the user's person or in the vicinity of the door are subject to being disposed of along with the laundry. Second, direct access to the vacuum tube results in unwanted removal of heated or cooled air from the building, adding to utility costs. Third, conventional vacuum systems are typically noisy and violent. Most importantly, conventional systems do not allow multiple users to access to the system simultaneously. Only one user at a time is allowed access due to a lack of enough power to evacuate multiple stations (which would result in laundry or trash sitting in the loading station and never entering the main chute). To prevent unwanted access, lockout mechanisms such as physical locks or keycard systems are installed on the loading stations.